The Year After
by UnwantedClarity
Summary: The inexplicable events of one fateful day leaves Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru reeling on diverging paths of treachery and repercussion. Meanwhile, Tsunade must hold together a wartime village. NOT NARUHINA! Rated M for mentions of rape, swearing, & sex.
1. Chapter One : Beginnings

A/N: Hello everyone! I've had this idea for I while and I actually wrote the story once but repeatedly chickened out of posting. It's my first story but no need to be gentle. I can take the heaviest criticism so please, feel free.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.**  
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><p><strong><span>SECOND WEEK OF APRIL<span>  
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**Chapter One : Beginnings  
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><p>Hinata was Blank.<p>

In reality, she was jumping from branch to branch with the rest of Team 8, halfway between Konoha and the agricultural city of Galen in South Fire Country. In bodily functions, she was slightly sore, warm, and suffering the last days of menstruation. The Village knew her to be on a 2 week reconnaissance mission. Her father knew she was not home. But in her mind, she was Blank.

Hinata cherished these moments of Blankness when she had no obligation to think of anything. In the morning when she woke up, she thought of hurrying to be at the breakfast table before her father. At breakfast, she thought of her last mission and mentally prepared a mission report. On the way to the Hokage Tower, she composed all her actions and prepared justifications for each one in case she was questioned. But right now, with a day and a half of travel time left before they arrived at the mission site of a friendly recon (where there was traditionally very less mission info), she didn't need to think of strategies or subtle ways to mark her route or look out for threats. She didn't need to think of anything. Hence, she was Blank.

Hinata, being on autopilot, didn't notice the scattered evergreens among the other deciduous trees. So when she landed on springy spruce instead of steady maple she momentarily lost her footing and had to stumble in midair to regain it. The jolt was enough. Hinata was no longer Blank.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" asked Kiba slyly, "Your little run-in with Naruto still on your mind?"

Hinata flushed deep crimson.

_Trust him to bring that up! I had almost forgotten._

Kurenai-sensei looked at her questioningly with a small smile, knowing what her former-student must mean.

As usual, Shino said nothing.

The long-awaited return of Naruto had been marred with humiliation. She'd looked him in the eye for all of twelve seconds-Kiba counted-before promptly fainting at his feet. Her carefully premeditated reunion-the healthy offspring of three years of on-and-off planning and careful research of Kiba's sultry novels (some of which she read through her fingers)-was struck dead by his Jack-in-the-Box personality-literally. He had sprung himself at her. What was she supposed to do? It wasn't that she didn't think. She did-fervently. She probably fainted _because_ there was too much blood traveling to her head.

_They're right. I am too weak._

After training nonstop with newfound reason, Hinata had finally managed to gain some of her father's respect though from odd comments here and there she understood that she'd always had his love. Her mind unwillingly went back to the conversation she'd overheard just before she left.

"_It's true that she has become stronger sir but, with all due respect to Hinata-sama, she is still much too…hesitant…indecisive…fragile, even."_

"_Nonsense. Hinata may be timid at times but is that not the shyness expected in a young woman? She'll grow out of it."_

She didn't have the heart to listen to any more.

_My timid nature, no doubt._

Everyone faced the same trials she did but not everyone had them pinned on a meeting board for "topics to be minutely observed and criticized". The fact that her father had stood up for her did nothing to ease the already unbearably weight on her shoulders. That combined with her duties to the village…

_Emerald eyes framed by pink locks…_

_Platinum hair glowing in semi-darkness…_

_Something hard digging into her hip…_

_Intrusive voices considering, contemplating, condemning…_

_All along the murky smell of rotting parchment._

Hinata gave a small shake of her head.

_Naruto-kun is back. Father respects me now. I have been made a Chuunin._

_This is the time for a new beginning._

Considerably cheered, Hinata quickened her pace onto the city of Galen where her new beginning awaited her.

* * *

><p>Tsunade gazed silently at Konoha from the Hokage Tower.<p>

The argument she had with the Councilors still reverberated in her mind. Just thinking of the things they could do with their life-is-a-shogi-game-with-people-as-pieces philosophy and just a little bit of energy shook her to her soul. What scared her more was the fact that they might be right.

_Are my feelings for Naruto clouding my judgement?_

_If it was anyone else, would I allow them to retrieve a deserter in a situation where there are this many unknowns and that very person's life has been threatened by forces two high-level combat-type platoons couldn't defeat?_

_Is his personal growth really all that much more important than his safety?_

Suddenly an image of the Hyuuga girl popped into her head. She pushed it away furiously along with the slight twinge of guilt that followed.

"You were right, you know," came a voice from behind her. "They can't keep Naruto hidden up their sleeves like some kinda trump card for what's up ahead."

With that, her inner turmoil dissolved. If he thought she'd done the right thing, then she'd done the right thing. Who cared about those old fossils? Deep down, she knew that Jiraiya was probably the only person alive she actually looked up to…

…_and loved._

"I know that, baka."

She'd never tell him that though.

"Hmm. Sorry for caring."

_Moment of truth over. Back to schoolchildren days._

Something caught her attention.

"What do you mean 'what's up ahead'?" asked Tsunade, lines appearing on her forehead.

He sighed heavily.

"I'm not just here to watch your backside," he paused, "Pun intended." Another line appeared, "I've actually been doing research."

"Shocker."

"World-hangs-in-the-balance research."

"Here, in Konoha?" The fine hairs on her neck were rising.

_Here in Konoha…_

He perched himself on her desk.

"Yep. Security checks, mostly. I don't mean to pee on your turf but the lowest underdogs have caught the minute whiffs of something. _They_ don't even know what it is. Nothing substantial. Just a sniff here and there. It's like," he stopped to think, "like a colony of ants. You know how they get right before the first snow fall? They're nowhere in sight. Their _anthills_ are nowhere in sight. All clogged up so the snow can't get in and they're as deep as they can get."

"The Calm before the Storm." said Tsunade, impatiently.

Everyone knew about the telltale signs of a full-blown war. About the quiet right before the first battle, when operatives went missing and livestock began to vanish and none of your contacts knew anything. This was the period the most Psych Leaves occurred.

"Right, right," said Jiraiya, placatingly. "Bear with me. Before the Calm, there's the Rush. When-"

"When the ants are worked to death to bulk up the food pile their carcasses are then thrown on." Tsunade guessed. The Rush to Arms when both sides prepared for war right before and right after war was declared. Part of what made the Calm so scary was that it meant the Rush was complete. This was the period the most dehydration cases lined up at the hospital.

"Precisely! There isn't a cloud in the sky and its 27 degrees outside but the ants are flipping. And a week before that, there's the skirmishes. The ants have territory fights with rival hills; they eat butterfly eggs and kill off grasshoppers: knocking out the competition."

_The Beginning._

This sign had no textbook name because it wasn't in textbooks-it wasn't taught. Only the most brilliant strategists could pick it out from the everyday hubbub of the ninja world and identify it as the first sign of war so there was really no point. In the end, defenses, militia, arms, and supplies-none of it mattered; if a country was planning a war or if a war was unavoidable, whosever strategist picked up on it early was almost always triumphant.

_Well begun makes well ended._

The initial stage of any war, the Beginning could last for years until a spark came along and set off the Rush.

For those in the know, _this _was the darkest time of any war. _This_ was when silent atrocities, dark things you weren't authorized to have nightmares about, were committed.

_Our survival is intended…_

Tsunade's forehead cleared even as her neck hairs stood on end.

_The rest is noise._

She and Jiraiya had always been in the know. Their eyes met.

"How long have you been staring at bugs exactly?"

"I spent a whole afternoon at it."

"And you thought you'd share this with me why?"

Jiraiya held her gaze, all playfulness gone. "Because before the ants know snow exists, they fatten up subconsciously, realizing they'll need the calories. My contacts are fattening up. The ninja world is fattening up. There's no danger in sight except a pack of renegade ninjas so why the blubber?"

All of Tsunade's hairs were on end now.

"Who were you researching here in Konoha?"

Jiraiya appraised her silently. "The old fossils. In particular, Danzou. It's nothing alarming. He's just been making _slight changes,_" he eyed her meaningfully, "to official requests; assigning plumbers who at one point worked for a subsidiary business owned by a large company that has mutual board members with a Packaged Food conglomerate that serviced ROOT during the altercations in the South 43 years ago and what not. As if he's preparing for something. You know, expecting something to happen."

Tsunade stared.

_The Beginning?_

"What is the nature of these requests?"

"Domestic, mostly."

"If he's making 'slight changes' on a national scale, other countries would have picked up on it by now even if we hadn't. They would have figured it was a sign."

"Who said they were on a national scale?"

"You just said-"

"I said they were domestic."

All the hair on Tsunade's body went haywire.

_Here in Konoha._

No wonder no one had picked up on it. Who would expect a Village to plot against itself?

She was silent for a long time.

"For how long?"

"At least ten years."

"That son of a bitch. He sold us out. We keep having meetings about security. They keep asking if it's all I can do. THOSE DINO-POOP FOSSILS!"

Enraged, she threw a vase. Jiraiya caught it effortlessly and set it down. He was here as support. He'd tolerate Tsunade's unimaginative insults and make sure she didn't trash her office. Most importantly, he'd keep her focused. All in a day's work.

"So what are you going to do? You need to protect the Village. They've been keeping you in the dark. Now it's your turn. You're the Hokage. Improvise."

"How? I have no idea what the hell's going on! I have no idea because THEY do. They keep holding POINTLESS meetings to FUCKING SLAUGHTER my time!"

It hit Tsunade like an avalanche.

"A slaughterhouse."

"What?"

"Where'd you pick up on the 'slight change'? The first one?"

"Re-canalization of the Herbalist's Street close to the wall four years ago. A joint popped or something and the pipes had to be fixed. The pipes were prehistoric. They were all changed just in case. It was very small, ordinary work but it passed through the Hokage's office because-"

"Because any constructions work within 0.87 kilometers of the wall has to be approved by the Hokage and the head of the Direct Investigation Gross who has to deploy a Five-point investigation. We get a hundred of them a year. There are NOCs to approve and AAAAs to sign. Loads of paperwork." Tsunade began rummaging through the shelves. "So much, in fact, that we only keep this year's on hand." She pulled out a huge tome with a triumphant sound. "I made Shikamaru take part in some them and finally," she opened it to a page, "he took lead on one. It was another re-canalization on some minor route off the Birch Road." She finished, showing him the page.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "Shikamaru? He's sixteen."

"He's a rising star," she corrected, "Tremendous job he did, too. I had him report directly to me because it was his first case and he said there were no suspicious circumstances; that the pipes' warranty had run out leading to leaking in some places and the street in question was a less-used one with no strategic importance."

"Don't fire him," deadpanned Jiraiya, looking through the very boring report. "_…used mostly to herd livestock…no anomalies in soil structure…very few residents, one civilian-owned business… _A very thorough report. I take my hat off to him: he stayed awake long enough to write this. I see no persons of interest among the workers."

"It's doubtful we'd get that lucky again." Tsunade pressed a button on the corner of her desk. "Shikamaru mentioned something else. He said that because of the re-canalization, a slaughterhouse would get water directly from the old Uchiha Source and lots of it-the new pipes were very efficient, long-lasting ones. There was no room on the road to install a switch until after the slaughterhouse owing to the debris turbine _someone_ insisted be installed. So the water can't be turned off. Lucky slaughterhouse."

"Nice catch." Jiraiya paused. "You know Tsunade, I wanted you to become Hokage foreseeing something like this. I thought that you'd be the best-suited for this role." For a moment he looked like he might say something else but then changed his mind, as if he'd used up his emotional quota of the day.

"Bet you knew you'd be useless."

_Schoolchildren days are over…_

Shizune barged into the room, breathless, clothing askew.

"Tsunade-sama!" she gasped, "I was-"

_We're at war._

"I don't care," interrupted Tsunade. "My office gets too much light. Plus, I can smell cigarette smoke from outside. I'm getting migraines. No need to worry, just find me a windowless, sound-proof, airless room to use until I get better. Make it a big one."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," said Shizune, masking her confusion.

"And get me maps of Konoha-I want blue prints _and_ imaging-a current one and one for every year for the last fifteen years. Get them yourself. No originals, no requests. Make copies of existing documents that have gold mapmaker seals."

"Hai!" Shizune repeated, scribbling away in a notebook.

"I've realized something, Shizune. I don't give you enough credit."

Shizune colored. "That's not necessary-"

"You have leaf through all this junk to find one document. Pure torture. It's not right to mistreat all our workers like this. We need a new system with a new level of organization. All documents will have to be rearranged. Come up with a new system immediately; one that's based on knowing which document is where at all times and who viewed it-no one and no document is exempt. However, so as not to hinder the ANBU, _that_ information is for my eyes only-and yours, of course. Until this project is over, no document can be removed from anywhere. This request didn't come from me. Our secretaries are all complaining nonstop and so is the entire Library staff. In my opinion, it's a waste of time but what can I do? I'm outnumbered against you lot."

"Hai," said Shizune, like a victim of the aforementioned torture.

"Naturally we can't commence a project of this magnitude without first utilizing the wisdom of our elders. It'd be unbearably shameful! Round up the fossils. They must meet with you, the Main Library staff, the Hokage's Archival staff, the head of the Hospital archives, the Development and Improvement Division, the Ninja Academy Librarian-junior and senior, the Fire Country Imperial Bookmaster, Head Secretary-"

"You're looking at her," informed Jiraiya.

"You get the picture, Shizune. Danzou should meet with them as well just make sure everyone's accounted for at the end of the day. What are you waiting for? Scram!"

"Nice" whistled Jiraiya after Shizune had scrammed.

"I'm not done yet,"

She made a hand signal and an ANBU agent appeared in front of her. His mask was painted red under the eyes-Captain.

"Tonight, a newly-installed plumbing device under the Herbalists' Street will unexpectedly malfunction. The plumber who installed it.."

"Daichi Ayumu," Jiraiya supplied.

"Daichi Ayumu will be thought to be responsible. The plot is 0.87 kilometers from the wall; it will be taken seriously. This Daichi will be apprehended by shinobi who carry out the official investigation. Until then, Daichi will have contact with no one. And stick a couple of tails on Danzou's ass-serious ones."

"There's no way he won't see through either of those actions," the agent commented.

"I agree," added Jiraiya.

"I know. Chances are he knows you know about the Herbalists' Street. We need to gather our sharpest minds in a room without raising suspicion _and_ find the other Daichis. What better way to do it than to burn a dead bridge? He doesn't know we know about the slaughterhouse. If it hadn't been Shikamaru's first case, we wouldn't. Watch it personally," this to the ANBU Captain, "and don't report unless something happens. As for the tail, I doubt we'll actually get anything from it but it will make Danzou's life a _little_ harder. Also, bulk up on weapons on minor ANBU bases along our borders. Keep it on an _extremely_ low profile. The kind no one can miss."

"That might make our neighbors a little nervous," commented Jiraiya drily.

Tsunade met his eyes squarely.

"I refuse to be Danzou. If there's something coming up, the other Villages should know about it. Besides, I don't have any operatives walking around other countries. It won't be my men that go missing."

"What about Sasuke?" asked Tsunade, dismissing the ANBU and sinking into her chair. Her sudden burst of energy had left her exhausted.

Jiraiya shrugged. "Sasuke will have gotten stronger. He probably sees Konoha as a nuisance. Orochimaru," he spat out the name, "will have seen to that but he's probably no danger to you. He's safe, for now."

"And Naruto?"

"I haven't been sitting on my ass the last three years," said Jiraiya indignantly. "If they do meet up, he'll hold his own. For a while, anyway."

They sat there in companionable silence, watching the Village flourish in the early spring sunshine. Tomorrow it would no longer be peaceful.

Jiraiya left her, eventually, with a head full of his words and the recurring image of the Hyuuga girl.

_This is it…_

_The Beginning._

* * *

><p>Naruto walked, pouting, with his face to the late afternoon sky.<p>

He was letting everyone know he was still angry at Sai over the insults to his penis. Actually, he had gotten over it a while ago but he didn't want to seem fickle so he kept up the mad face for appearance's sake.

In a few more minutes, though, even that would blow over. Naruto was _bored_.

This new Team 7 and _this_ mission kept making him feel like a chapter in their lives was over. They would either bring Sasuke-teme back or they'd just have to try again but either way they would see him. He would see him for the first time after Sasuke realized he couldn't kill him. Of this Naruto was sure: Sasuke could not and would never be able to kill him. It was way too much gooey stuff for Naruto on a normal day. He shook his head and reset his mind.

He considered chatting with Sakura-chan but he doubted she'd be in the mood. He could tell from the way she walked in an exactly straight line that she was just as annoyed at their circumstances as he was. When happy, Sakura-chan had always been a traipse-er. Striking up a conversation with her now was just as likely as striking gold.

He wouldn't even reason talking to Sai. That dude was creepy. Any remotely bearably exchange he could possibly have with Sai he would not want Sakura-chan to hear. Besides, he had to maintain that he was angry. A feat that was turning out to be easier said than done-his face muscles were starting to hurt.

By process of elimination, that only left their enigmatic new captain. He was thinking about what to say. They were both strong so logic dictated they should have something in common. This same logic showed that since Sai and he were nothing alike, Sai was a pansy-ass. So far so good. Now back to Chitchat 101.

Didn't Yamato-taichou know Kakashi-sensei quite well? There, a common factor. Naruto was just about to tell a funny anecdote featuring their pervy sensei when something struck him as odd.

Sometimes, Naruto's mind made strange leaps independent of any backing information and still somehow arrived at the correct conclusion in the end.

_From A to B to X…_

He never knew how it happened but he made sure to pay attention.

Yamato-taichou _did_ know Kakashi-sensei well and had known him for quite some time. He'd called Kakashi-sensei 'sempai' and talked about him so familiarly. If that was true then how come Naruto had never seen them together? And how come Kakashi-sensei never mentioned him?

Come to think of it, Naruto didn't recall having ever seen or heard of Yamato-taichou. That was odd in itself.

Contrary to popular belief, Naruto was actually very aware of the people around him. By the time he was twelve, the most he got from almost everyone was either a snide comment or a look-and sometimes not even that. So he often had to remember people by face alone. This ability had weakened off in time but he was still pretty keen.

He could swear that he had never, ever seen Yamato-taichou in his life.

_And he had never, ever seen Sai._

_A common factor._

Sai and Yamato-taichou.

Did they know each other? No, there was no familiarity in their dealings with each other at all.

Again, contrary to popular belief, Naruto was not oblivious to people's feelings. Watching, while never taking part in, other peoples' interactions with each other meant that he usually knew why someone took on a certain expression and why.

He could observe everyone well from the back of the group. Was it just his imagination or was their captains eyes straying to Sai way too often? As if he was making Sai didn't get lost. There! He did it again. What was going on?

"Naruto! What's wrong? Do you have another stomach ache?" asked Sakura, misinterpreting the pained look on his face.

"I'm fine, Sakura-chan!" he replied, giving her a big grin.

"Say, Yamato-taichou?"

Yamato-taichou glanced back to show that he was listening.

"When did you and Kakashi-sensei meet again?"

The larger than usual pause between one step and the next told Naruto that his captain was surprised but not overly uncomfortable.

"I think I first met sempai on a mission about…eight years ago? It's been a while." The tone was dismissive.

Naruto pretended not to get it. "What kind of mission? Did you kill anyone?" The last part was intended as a joke.

Yamato-taichou stopped and turned around. Sakura-chan and Sai stopped, too. The former regarded Naruto curiously. The latter just smiled. Apparently, no one got the joke.

"Why the sudden interest?" Yamato-taichou asked in a deceptively light voice.

_I just realized you're creepy, too._

He frowned. "You're the one that said we should get to know each other. I'm making an effort."

Yamato-taichou gave a slight nod, all suspicion gone. It was an acceptable Naruto answer.

"It was an ANBU mission," he said, starting to walk again, "and top secret."

A very effective conversation killer.

To the inexperienced, this measly dialogue would be regarded as a failure. Naruto thought it was a complete success. He had managed to glean three pieces of info.

One: Yamato-taichou was a good guy. No one was Kakashi's friend for that long without being safe or paralyzed or both.

Two: He was a trusted ANBU operative; probably very high-up. It made sense that baachan would assign one her right hands to this mission and it explained why Naruto had never seen his face.

Three: Sai was in ANBU, too, and he wasn't assigned to Team 7 by baachan.

The third was a huge leap but it cleared everything right up.

The second Yamato-taichou said the word ANBU, Sai face had lost the smile and went completely emotionless. He was familiar with ANBU-but not with Yamato-taichou. And Yamato-taichou was watching him closely which meant he didn't trust him. What did that mean, that he _didn't_ serve in ANBU? Yamato-taichou was high-up. If Sai was in ANBU, he should know him. But his hunches were never wrong.

This was so confusing. His head was starting hurt from all the thinking.

Instinct told him he wouldn't get anything else today. His stomach told him he was hungry.

It was time to act more like Naruto.

"Hey Sakura-chan, when we get back what d'you say we go on a date?"

_A new chapter is beginning._

* * *

><p>Danzou stirred his tea with his mind elsewhere.<p>

He was calm and collected as he took a sip. He was calm and collected as he moved into a more comfortable position. He was calm and collected even as he heard a small creak from the ventilation above.

_Really, Tsunade-hime?_

Though the sound could be attributed to the oldness of the building, Danzou knew better. Jiraiya-kun had picked up on one of his lesser projects. By now, Tsunade-hime had probably been informed and was handling it with her usual energy and discretion.

Danzou took this as seriously as he would a fly. It was annoying and it meant he'd have to move more carefully but it was of no serious consequence. For this particular reason, Danzou had designed his master plan in such a way that once it was triggered-by no other than Uchiha Sasuke himself-it would continue along with no urging from him.

Already adapted to this new arrangement, Danzou's mind returned to the little tryst he'd had with an adolescent boy 34 months ago.

He was calm and collected as he remembered the cries of that unbroken voice. He was calm and collected as he remembered the feel of the yet unmarred hands on his chest.

Another creak momentarily brought him back. He was almost annoyed at their incompetence but thinking of Tsunade-hime's plight helped rejuvenate his good mood.

_So this is how it begins, hime?_

Danzou's mind returned to his boy as he recalled how the smooth skin and young muscle felt under his hand when he not-so-calmly-and-collectedly broke the boy's neck.

* * *

><p>Kabuto stared at the tools on his bed, reevaluating which ones might be needed.<p>

Although there was another week until the meeting at the Heaven and Earth Bridge with Sasori-sama, Kabuto had already packed and repacked his bag three times.

All his life, Kabuto's academy teachers, superiors, and Orochimaru-sama had all complemented his ability to think on his feet and be prepared for every contingency. In reality, Kabuto did very little on-the-spot thinking. He was just very well prepared.

The night before his first day in the Academy, Kabuto had memorized the names of all the teachers, students, and auxiliary staff. He'd researched seating arrangements and dug up lunch menus.

The months before Kabuto approached Sasori-sama, he had chosen three ideal sites in a half mile radius he could lead him to. He'd sampled all the plants and met with all the animals in the vicinity. He'd prepared several safe houses close by which he had completely sterilized so they bore no traces of him. He'd studied the weather, marked rabbit routes, and memorized rock formations.

The year and half before Kabuto met Orochimaru, he had skillfully interviewed everyone notable Orochimaru came into contact with save the Sannin. He'd visited his parents' graves and found out more about the man than he doubted anyone else had.

After he knew the board, it was extremely easy to make any move.

Sasuke walked in silently, without knocking as usual, and sat on the seamlessly made bed.

Kabuto didn't even look up. This happened often. Sasuke would walk into the laboratory or library or wherever Kabuto was working at the moment and just sit and watch him. The first time it happened (six months after Sasuke's arrival) Kabuto almost had a heart attack. He'd tried to ascertain what he wanted but Sasuke wouldn't answer when asked-he'd just walk out. After the first five times Kabuto stopped asking and just learnt to ignore him. What puzzled him more was the look on his face. It wasn't bored, cold, or emotionless. It was-dare he say-interested, bright-eyed even.

While turning to retrieve an extra pair of leather work gloves Kabuto snuck a peek at his uninvited guest. Sasuke was eyeing his pack curiously. Kabuto noticed his clothes were slightly damp and there were water droplets in his hair.

_Been outside, have we, Sasuke-kun?_

Looking through his pack once again, Kabuto decided he should bring Cyanide instead of Henbane. Before he left for the lab to get some, without thinking he took out a towel from one of the many drawers lining the walls of his non-descript room and laid it on the bed.

Outside in the hall, he paused, surprised at his action.

_Well, when did that begin?_

* * *

><p>The Raven sat on the rocky outcroppings above the Onsen where Naruto was currently staying.<p>

The slight drizzle didn't bother him in the slightest as he watched the establishment in the twilight.

He made sure to completely suppress his chakra once he saw who the blonde was traveling with. His silent compliments to the Hokage on choosing such a suitable person to accompany Naruto were cut short when he noticed Naruto's other travel companion. A surge of alarm passed through the Raven.

Why would someone like that be chosen to accompany Naruto?

Suddenly, he heard a noise to his left. He whipped his head around quickly only to see a wildcat, about as high as his knee, with a tail twisted into an odd shape; broken, no doubt, on the rocks below.

"Here, Neko." he said softly, holding out his left hand for the cat to sniff while his right went for the bandages in his holster.

Very slowly, the wild cat relaxed. It walked toward the Raven and rubbed its head against his hand.

Twenty minutes later, the sun had completely set and the darkness was setting in. The rain had all but subsided. Meanwhile, The Raven had managed to straighten and bandage the cat's broken tail, tend to his own newly-acquired injuries, feed the cat, and coax it onto his lap where it was now purring contentedly as he stroked its lustrous grey fur adorned with black rosettes.

As lights began to appear in the Onsen one by one, a pregnant static filled the air. Indefinable, the tension was, but it was there. The wildcat shifted uncomfortably. An owl hooted in the distance.

"Can you feel it, Neko? It's beginning."

* * *

><p>The traitor walked outside of the Onsen where the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki was slumbering peacefully.<p>

The midnight coldness did not register and the lovingly planted rose bushes lining the promenade held no beauty.

The traitor was on a mission.

_Triangulate beacons upon arrival. Colors for Day 1 are red, yellow, and orange. Place within seventeen meters of each other by at least 1900 hours. At exactly 0013 hours, a messenger owl will land at red beacon. Messenger owl is Type C tawny with three brown feathers on each wing. The owl will hoot twice. Walk towards the owl. The owl will hoot a third time. At third hoot, place report on the ground and walk away._

The traitor heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps to the right. Two people; a man and an older woman. Avoiding them was necessary. The traitor could barely contain excitement right now let alone sport flawless acting. Having waited hidden in darkness until the footsteps passed, the traitor picked up the pace. 0010 hours. It was almost time.

For the years of service, this mission was the one that mattered. It required a great deal of self-control. One step closer to the promised reward: revenge.

Revenge on Konoha.

Revenge on Kakashi. On the bubblegum-sweet Sakura.

And on Naruto. The worst would be left for Naruto.

All the patient planning and acting was paying off. So far everything had gone according to plan. Everything was going right. It was a sign. This time the traitor would triumph.

An owl hooted in the distance. The traitor kept walking until it hooted again. The traitor placed the scroll on the ground and walked away.

No need to check its feathers.

The traitor's time had begun, nothing could go wrong.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru woke with a grunt.<p>

He glanced at the clock on his nightstand. 2:37am.

So it wasn't the alarm that woke him. Then what?

He heard a sound outside. The distant but unmistakable call of a bird. So that's what it was. As far as Shikamaru was concerned, he was not a Jounin therefore he didn't have to answer the Hokage's summons, whatever it was. If she wanted him to come, she'd have to call him personally.

He closed his eyes.

Someone landed on his window sill.

"Nara Shikamaru," they intoned.

Shikamaru grunted once again.

So his day was going to begin a little early.

Troublesome.


	2. Chapter Two : A Touch of Cinnamon

A/N: Sorry it took so long. The next chapter will not take so long, I promise! Please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Love, C.

* * *

><p><strong><span>11<span>th OF APRIL**

**Chapter Two : A Touch of Cinnamon**

* * *

><p>Tsunade eyed the Jounin in front of her distastefully.<p>

"Valium or Naprosyn?" she asked with the manner of one accusing him of war crimes.

"Coffee finished already?" replied Kakashi cheerfully. "I could swear our lovely secretary just brewed a fresh pot."

Tsunade sent him a look of freshly brewed death which bounced right off his rhino-caliber skin.

"You're supposed to be resting. I made it very clear that even though you're in the loop, the only reason for you to be in this office is to ask for more pain meds."

"Yes, you did. Good call with the excuse, too. Shizune wouldn't have let me in otherwise."

"Kakashi, do I really have to-" she began, rubbing her temple.

"No, ma'am. I wouldn't presume to waste your time. Therefore, I'll just assure you, that short of an official dismissal, there is nothing that will take me out of your lovely new office and we can skip the lecture."

"And technically you can't even dismiss him because he's not officially on duty," added Nara Shikaku from the opposite side of the room where he was hunched over a cluttered long table, his face inches from the blueprint he was studying.

Tsunade sighed with an impressive heave of her bosom. It was pointless to keep arguing with two geniuses against her. It was necessary, however, to save some face.

"Fine, you can stay. But if I see your arse off the chair, I'll rearrange it to stay that way forever. Progress meeting in ten."

"Lovely idea," commented Kakashi, obediently sitting on the closest chair.

Tsunade wasn't fooled by his compliance. It was common knowledge that Kakashi did not praise. If he sounded like he did, he was being sarcastic. She glared at him as she sunk in her own chair across him; attempting to drive the point home with her eyes.

Her 'lovely new office', was nothing but a very long, almost completely empty room with an oxygen pump and humidifier in the corner courtesy of Shizune. Possibly usable as a bomb shelter, it had no windows; no air vents; and the two ton, air tight, stainless steel door had six failsafes.

The office-lovingly dubbed 'the trench' by Shukaku-had been decorated two years prior according to the guidelines set by the Wholesome Improvement and Planning System, or WHIPS as they liked to be called. Tsunade knew WHIPS well. They were the meanest policy setters in Konoha and had set the record for churning out useless paper.

The far end of the room was lined with several bookcases-all empty save one, which was half full with papers, tomes, and scrolls. These faced the aforementioned long table Shikaku was preoccupied at. The hefty round table in the center of the room was cluttered with pens, paper, coffee cups, and Kakashi. The corner of the room closest to the door was taken up by the secretary's station.

The finishing touches - with two dozen high-powered fluorescent lights against a backdrop of 'exhilarating' bright orange ceiling and 'tranquilizing' electric blue carpeting - were supposed to promote working and efficiency.

Tsunade believed they inspired schizophrenia.

Which explained the secretary. Only known as Chika-san for her own safety, she was as lovely as the room. A highly-trained ex-ANBU operative, Chika-san had outlived her prime some thirty-five years ago. Racist and xenophobic, she lived in the belief that every man was out to bash her impressive anthill hairdo into her skull. However, her spotless record and extraordinarily high security clearance meant that she still had some use to the Village.

"At least we can sleep soundly knowing no one will poison our coffee but her," Shikaku had pointed out at their first meeting two days ago.

By some miracle, the walls had survived redecorating and were whitewashed and bare except for a 110" by 90" blueprint of Konoha with post-its stuck all over it. The door, and a large clock, had been installed upon their arrival.

Despite the lewd coloring, the trench was ideal for its purpose: it was easy to obtain, out of the way, and could only be accessed through an antechamber that Tsunade's old office had been relocated to.

For the last two days, the members of the team (codenamed Pythia after the Delphic Oracle) had spent every waking hour eating, drinking, breathing, and sweating the trench. So as not to arouse suspicion, the Pythia had to leave the room five times a day for twenty minute intervals. This was where the rest of the team was and where Tsunade had been until she returned to find Kakashi waiting for her.

Tsunade's eyes slipped to the clock as Chika-san hobbled into the room. Halfway between the door and her station, she seemed to notice Kakashi. She stopped in her tracks, glaring at him as if his presence was a personal insult to her.

Kakashi smiled brightly. "Good afternoon. You must be Chika-san. My, you do look lovely."

There are very few women completely immune to flattery. "Getoffit. Yer lyin'." Chika-san was effortlessly one of them. "Whozis flippin' cad?" she demanded Tsunade.

Tsunade barely stopped the cringe her language elicited. "Hatake-san was here on Day 1." Tsunade attempted to introduce a little dignity. "Unfortunately, due to injury, he had to leave before he could meet you."

"Call me Kakashi. It'd be an honor if you did." Kakashi said in his flirtiest voice. It seemed he relished in a challenge. And possibly suffered brain damage.

"Not in yer wettes' dreams, slurry!" she shot back just as Morino Ibiki and Yamanaka Inoichi walked in through the still open door.

Had Ibiki not been trained to show no emotion to even the most grisly of confessions and heartfelt of pleas, his face would've probably taken the same unusual shape Inoichi's had.

"Afternoon, everyone," Ibiki's eyes traveled to the people in the room before resting on Kakashi. "You look well. Welcome back."

Inoichi blinked, regaining control of his features with some effort. "Yes, welcome back, Kakashi. Good afternoon, Tsunade-sama, Shikaku," he paused, "Chika-san."

Tsunade nodded. Shikaku and Chika-san both grunted. His was affirmative. Hers was guttural.

Ibiki settled down at Kakashi's left, leafing through his papers, while Inoichi wheeled over a glass board to his place at Kakashi's right. Chika-san hobbled over with a tray to collect the empty coffee-cups littering the table which Kakashi helpfully handed to her. For his chivalry, he narrowly missed getting his fingers scratched by her long, sharp claws. Though whether it was intentional or pure negligence on her part was anyone's guess.

With exactly half a minute before the meeting was due to start, the Captain Commander of ANBU ('KiWi') and his aide, the original ANBU Captain Tsunade had spoken to at the Night of Revelation, glided apparition-like into the room closely followed by a far less graceful Shizune who closed and bolted the door behind her.

At their appearance, Shikaku quickly scribbled something on a memo before taking his place at Tsunade's left as the Captain Commander sat at her right. Shizune hovered behind the Hokage, her eyes occasionally flitting to the ANBU Captain who stood statuesque at the door.

_And the clock chimes midnight…_

Tsunade cleared her throat. "As you can all see, Kakashi has returned early from invalid-ness so if you would Shikaku, a brief." Tsunade never knew how to properly start these secret meetings. Normally, she would state the time, date, and purpose for the record and the ball would start rolling from there. Here, of course, there was no record.

Shikaku had no such qualms. "After studying their previous actions dating back twenty years, it has become evident that Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzou are in a state of war codenamed 'the Beginning'." He paused, his brows drew close together. "The Hokage's first actions were damage control. Danzou is being watched around the clock, all construction work has been halted, and all establishments holding records have all but been shut down. The other councilors are being kept occupied though security on them is not as tight. That all was accomplished in the first twelve hours."

Shikaku moved to the glass board, marker in hand. "After that, we split our efforts into three. First, tracking down all the changes made by Danzou and the Councilors in order to determine their agenda." He drew a large circle and wrote down his own name along with Ibiki's and Inoichi's. "I've been going through the Village records, starting with waterworks and moving onto building restorations, fuel depositories, and new roads. Meanwhile, Ibiki's been tracking down anyone who is remotely involved and investigating them. Inoichi then pays them a visit they can't refuse and don't remember."

"The second part is KiWi's." He indicated the Captain Commander. "Their job was to secure the Fire Country starting with Konoha. They've also been watching locations of interest in case anyone comes back." Shikaku drew a square and wrote ANBU in it. "On the side, they've been scouring the area for any trace of Akatsuki since it's quite probable they're involved."

"Damage control, reconnaissance, and preservation," enunciated Kakashi, ticking them off his fingers. "That only leaves interrogation and infiltration. Speaking of, has anyone thought of questioning Honmura-sama and Koharu-sama?"

Tsunade clasped her hands in front of her. "That's where I come in."

Shukaku drew a triangle with the letter 'T' in the center.

"So far, all we've been doing is pissing them off-we lack the evidence to do anything serious and they know it. However, Danzou aside, they do have a conscience."

Kakashi gave her a disbelieving look.

"And a common fear," she amended. "They want nothing more than having their tombs declared places of worship after their passing. In the event of a public investigation, they know it won't matter if we don't have enough evidence. It'll create reasonable doubt in the populace. Reasonable enough someone might carve it onto their gravestones. Konoha has always been a 'family' village-and we don't forgive traitors all too easily."

Her eyes met Kakashi's.

_All but one…_

"So for now we're just keeping the pressure on them. They aren't panicky enough to start questioning yet."

For a span of about five seconds, the whole room was silent except for the hiss of the humidifier. This had happened before but it was replayed for Kakashi's sake: the small window of doubt, when all members think of what they're doing-plotting against their own people. The silence could have lasted forever-or at least ten more seconds-had Chika-san not chosen that exact moment to wheeze over with the coffee.

"Oh, Chika-san!" Kakashi moaned sampling it. "If I attempted to describe the feelings this brew inspires within me…"

"I'll dumppit on yer crotch," she finished for him.

"Thank you, Chika-san," Inoichi said pointedly.

"Ye be'er chikit," was her only reply.

"Did she just threaten us to check her own coffee for poison?" asked Shizune in a whisper once Chika-san had hobbled off in a cloud of huffing and wheezing.

"That's nothing," Ibiki said easily. "The other day I caught her installing a booby trap in a toilet across the hall in case anyone tried to rig it."

Rigging toilets had been very popular in the olden days when Tsunade assumed warring countries had sadistic senses of humor. It was a simple mechanism: you pour some of substance A into the bowl and dissolve some of substance B in the tank; mixed with a little organic matter as a catalyst, voila, you have a bomb. It was so suited to its purpose that in the absence of organic matter, the reaction only produced bubbles undetectable during a flush. Likewise, if there was more organic matter, the explosion would be bigger. Very funny. No toilet had caught whiff of it in fifty-five years.

"How was she doing it?" inquired Shukaku curiously. Defending against exploding toilets had been a huge problem way back when especially since mental agility was compromised by - let us be delicate - a strong desire to use the powder room. In the end, all countries came to a verbal agreement not to use them anymore. To this day it remained unbroken.

"A kunai was set to come shooting out of the bowl if liquid dribbled down the siphon while the top of the tank was ajar."

There was a long silence.

"Which toilet was this again?" asked Kakashi seriously.

For a brief moment, muffled laughter and smiles softened the atmosphere.

And then it was back to business. "The brief's over. Anything else Kakashi needs to know we'll fill in later." Tsunade pulled a blank paper towards her and took out a pen. Ibiki and Inoichi copied her. KiWi leaned forward slightly. "Progress report. Shikaku, start."

"The changes Danzou made, while numerous, are not enough to suggest a pattern. It's possible-no, it's probable he had other people request changes for him to avoid leaving a paper trail. Especially since he made most of his own suggestions right after the Kyuubi attack when the Village was being rebuilt, the trail he did leave is squeaky clean. We were lucky with the slaughterhouse. His name is nowhere near it so it's a live wire." And Shukaku was proud of his son.

"Honmura-san and Koharu-san's actions, on the other hand, are all more decipherable. They each make about two dozen changes to official plans a year, most of which they make in person and sometimes in memos sent to whoever's in charge."

"Konoha undertakes thirty projects a year on average. They're very vigilant," KiWi commented. The first words he'd said all day.

"They like to show off," Tsunade corrected.

"Some changes, however, they make directly to official plans themselves. At the end of every working day, updates on all proposed changes are sent to the people involved in the projects who then either sign off on them or schedule meetings to dispute. Proposed changes are made directly on the drafts and are therefore completely untraceable unless you have the original drafts _and_ access to handwriting samples. Fortunately for us."

He held up the memo he'd been working on.

"Eight untraceable changes. The first one dates back to twelve years ago-excepting two made during wartime. Those two, I believe, are self-explanatory." He tapped the next two. "These both are within fifty meters of each other and these," he indicated three more, "all have something to do with waterworks. This last one is a bit of a gamble. I'm sure it wasn't Koharu-san that marked the areas a new housing project was going to be launched but it's definitely her handwriting underneath the marks. And unfortunately, no, I don't know what it all adds up to. I'll visit all six locations first thing tomorrow, with your consent of course, Tsunade-sama."

Tsunade liked it when he pretended to value her opinion in matters he clearly surpassed her by twenty miles in.

"Do your best." Whatever. "Ibiki, you're up."

"There isn't much to report. I've looked into the names Shikaku supplied me with." Here 'looked into' roughly translated as 'run extensive background checks on', "So far only twelve are remotely promising. There's no way to completely check off the others. More specifically, there's no way to narrow the list down at all. I've practically been going in at gut-feelings. Something not adding up-that sorta thing. I'd already given nine of the names to Inoichi. The rest I found today."

"Good job. Inoichi?"

"Again, nothing much to report. I've taken care of four people so far; nothing in relation to our investigation has come up. Still, one of them is into children-he hasn't done anything yet. He just watches and plans. I weakened his knee joint just in case so he can't run fast."

"That's a little over the top, don't you think?" Shikaku's voice dripped with irony. "What if he reforms?"

Everyone in the room had seen the aftermath of at least one child rape. When the word was out to execute Orochimaru after the children he experimented on were discovered, one of the Daimyo's helpers had accused the Hokage of overreacting. "What if he reforms?" they had said, "He could be a great asset." Clearly the person did not live in the real world. Someone who goes that far does not come back.

"The only thing they had in common was that none of them applied for the jobs they worked at. They listed themselves at guilds and were sought out personally. It's too less to pin our hopes on. All these people were skillful and efficient so it's understandable they were sought out by name."

"There are no coincidences. Give everything you got on them to Ibiki. Ibiki check them again. KiWi." She gave him a look.

"Understood," he replied.

"Anything else Inoichi?"

"Only that in two cases the person that sought them out was Yuuma Ren."

Tsunade flinched. That _man_!

Yuuma Ren was the head of the Direct Investigation Gross and, occasionally, Shikamaru's reluctant superior. Traditionally, groups like Plythia had always included the current head of the DIG. The decision to break tradition lay with Tsunade. This wasn't because Yuuma was incompetent at his job. Quite the contrary, he had performed it impeccably for the last twenty-three years. And while his career might have started out with the simple desire to protect and to serve, over the years it had warped into a very glamorous ladder he had to climb.

He was also the most presumptuous, sexist prick Tsunade had ever had the misfortune to meet. She'd sworn to pull the rungs out of that ladder one by one with pliers the first time she caught him reporting to the Councilors over her head. Sadly, it wasn't that easy. He was protected. He was one of the fossils she wanted to bury forever.

Inoichi did not know that. "The DIG is sometimes charged with finding the right people for a job but I just thought it was unusual the Head of the entire Direct Investigation Gross would personally look into something so menial."

"Do you have his handwriting?" she asked Shikaku.

"Yes and it's not him who made the changes," he answered patiently.

Shikaku _did_ know.

Damn.

"Well now we have proof linking him to this."

"No we don't." Shikaku said.

Tsunade ignored him, "Ibiki look into him as well. Inoichi could you, you know?"

"No I could not! He's a division-head."

"Morality has nothing to do with it."

"I mean it's physically impossible. Heads of Department are regularly screened for that kind of thing. It's _my_ department that does the screening. I check you every week, remember?"

Tsunade tapped her nails impatiently, "You're being unreasonable. If you do the screening yourself, what's the problem?"

"Yuuma is paranoid. He has his own personal screener. The checks my department does are for regulation's sake only."

"What does he have to be so paranoid about? His division doesn't handle anything above Level Six clearance."

Kakashi gave her a look. "What do you have against Yuuma Ren?"

Tsunade returned the look with vengeance. "He spends his spare time up Honmura's ass. Plus, it's his division that did the investigations on all these projects in the first place. The only report we caught onto was the one that didn't go through him because Shikamaru presented it to me personally-something Yuuma fought against tooth and nail I might add. In the end, he actually accompanied Shikamaru all the way to my door. Does that really not raise any flags?"

Shukaku cleared his throat. "He would be easy to manipulate if a Councilor was involved. I'll look into any changes he's made recently as well."

Tsunade was pleased.

"Who's taking lead in the official investigation of the Herbalists' Street pipe failure?"

Damn, Shikaku was sharp.

"It's a good opportunity for Shikamaru to grow." Tsunade sniffed.

Shikaku looked displeased that she was involving his son without consulting him first.

A touch of guilt passed through her. Without fail, the Hyuuga girl popped into her mind.

"Let's face it, Shikaku. If there's something odd during the investigation, he'll pick up on it instantly. He's someone I know I can trust and it won't look suspicious that I've upgraded him to more important investigations. Besides, if he does figure out it was staged he won't blow everything." Shukaku still seemed upset although he wasn't showing it anymore. "If it's as bad as you think, chances are Shikamaru's gonna end up in this room sooner or later."

_I care about the children, too…_

The clock caught Tsunade's eye. Almost two. "Alright. We're running late. KiWi, quickly if you will."

"Hai, Hokage-sama," KiWi murmured.

The Captain Commander post of ANBU never stayed the same for long. The official reason was so as not to make movements predictable and create an easy target. The real reason was to prevent the agents from becoming attached to someone other than the Hokage. Thus, Captain Commanders were promoted in their late thirties and retired by forty-five. The only honor they were given upon promotion was the choice to keep on or take off their masks.

KiWi was thirty-nine. With his impressive height, broad shoulders, and solid legs he had the graceful appearance of a tank and many of its practical uses. His real name, Kiyoshi Wei, had been given to him by his immigrant mother and, in its unusualness, had inspired many creative names behind his back. To his face most people called him KiWi. On Tsunade's arrival, he had chosen to take off his mask as a sign of trust.

Tsunade had only understood after looking him in the eye what elite meant. He was completely blind, the result of the liquid vitriol that had scarred half of his face and had left only a handsome chin and easy smile as proof of his former glory. He had defied the Third with his insistence on continuing as an ANBU agent for the next eighteen years. Tsunade could've incinerated him on the spot and his men would've stood by his ashes. So much for early retirement.

KiWi had a soft, gentle voice with the edge of a knife in it. "We've done as Shikaku-san directed. All the 'hot-spots' are under surveillance at all times. We're using ants above ground and rats below. They can't communicate but they do send distress signals if they catch scent of anything different. The slaughterhouse is a priority. So far nothing. The Village is secured. Danzou is being watched by men I've personally trained and their condition is continuously monitored from afar by a chakra-sensitive agent. Securing the Fire Country is on schedule. We've finished the Eastern Provinces and are moving to the South. One of Orochimaru's empty nests was discovered. It had been destroyed hastily so we were able to pick up on residual chakra not belonging to Orochimaru, Kabuto, or Uchiha Sasuke. Nothing else of interest to report."

Tsunade nodded. "All right. You all have your assignments. Unless anyone has any questions, we'll wrap up here."

"I have an observation," Kakashi voiced. "We still don't have anyone on infiltration."

_We have someone. He just doesn't know it._

"It's pointless at this stage. Infiltration is supposed to be attempted before the alarm."

Kakashi studied her for a moment. "Well if the meeting's adjourned, I have getting better to do. I just hope I don't pass out on my way back to the hospital. Perhaps one of the lovely ladies – not you Tsunade-sama – could accompany me?"

Although the lovely ladies had different ways of expressing it ("Sorry, but no", "In yer 'ole!"), they were equally adamant.

* * *

><p>Shikamaru watched villagers skirt around the red tape as if it wasn't there.<p>

The curious glances and nervous whispers had died down within six hours of the event. People here were used to having their tiniest problems exaggerated. To most the red tape was simply a line in the sand.

From his perch on the edge of the Herbalists' Fountain, he could see the eight meter long ditch the shruiken-sized filter had broken to pieces in. Ever since he'd been assigned to what was sadly the most important case of the career Tsunade occasionally forced on him, he'd been eating his lunches here. It wasn't that far from ideal; the rushing water kept him cool, he could always get some of the most soothing tea he'd ever tasted from the row of apothecary's the street was named after, and it was relatively quiet for such a large street. Maybe the dried perfume powder the herbalists regularly burnt had that effect on people?

Shikamaru was one of the lucky people who could turn their minds off and doze off anywhere. He now chose to do just that and sat there calmly munching his dumplings…

"Hey Nara!"

…until one of his on/off co-workers decided he looked lonely.

Troublesome.

"Hey!" said Kenji obliviously marched odd fifty yards and plopped next to Shikamaru pulling out a sandwich. Credit to his bulky stature and herculean thighs, it barely took him five seconds. "Thought I might find you here. Yoru and Lin-Lin are both off resolving some lawn dispute and Miki had her break early so it's just you and me today." He took a large bite of sandwich. "I 'eard you got a break," he said with his mouth full, "What's up?"

"It's not a break. For now, just a minor coincidence with heavy strings attached." Shikamaru did not want to go into detail. A Life in the Office was a treacherous one.

"They all are, brother. That's why we eat lunch facing a P/O," he motioned the surroundings (the Place of Occurrence) with an exaggerated sweep of his hand. Bits of filling bid farewell to the sandwich before settling in Kenji's dark brown hedgehog hair.

Two minutes passed in companionable silence while Kenji shoved another sandwich into his face.

"Well then, I'm off." He jumped up. "By the way, Miki said to mention, Ren-chan's in your closet. He's incognito."

Shikamaru grunted. Within seconds, Kenji had vanished.

Shikamaru knew very well why Yuuma Ren was currently in his office. He was attempting, yet again, to show up his incompetence.

When Tsunade had Shikamaru woken up at half past two in the morning, she'd sent him instructions to present himself immediately at DIG headquarters. She'd informed Ren on his arrival that he'd be taking lead on the case. Normally, Ren wouldn't care who handled the case of a broken filter but he did not like his subordinates having better connections than himself, a bill Shikamaru fit since arrival.

This, however, seemed to be the sticking point of Ren's vendetta. He had even attempted to turn Shikamaru's age group against him by loudly stating that he'd been waiting for a case like this to come up so he could hand it to Yoru. It hadn't worked. No one wanted to investigate plumbing sensationalized because of its proximity to the Wall.

Nevertheless, Ren did manage to take over the interrogation of the installer, Daichi Ayumu, while simultaneously managing to make a complete idiot of himself. Daichi repeated over and over that he wasn't responsible for the quality of the equipment he installed. Ren then thoughtfully asked Shikamaru if he had any questions. Shikamaru had only one.

"How would the filter have broken?"

Daichi had eyed him suspiciously, surprised at his sane tone. "Unless someone broke it from the outside…"

"No one else could've," Ren had cut in quickly, "it was still buried when we got there."

Daichi, following Shikamaru's example, ignored him. "…its interior structure was probably bruised somehow so it couldn't handle the water pressure and crashed. That would have caused the pipes to fracture. I didn't do it." He added vehemently. "I don't check parts, I don't question plans: I just do what I'm ordered. You should talk to my manager."

Shikamaru had nodded his agreement so Ren wouldn't see.

After two days of obsessive-level legwork, Shikamaru had typed up a proposal. Ren would have probably rejected it which was why he hadn't sent him a copy but instead stamped it confidential and sent it to the Hokage – the only other person who could authorize it.

Shikamaru found the lights in his office turned off, draperies drawn, and his boss sitting in the darkness behind his desk. He was wearing sunglasses.

Ren was normally a cheerful and calm person, and he'd acquired his elevated position and salary by cheerfully and calmly stabbing a great many of his colleagues in the back in a move described as 'political savvy'.

His dark side, however, was something to be reckoned with for Ren literally descended into states of darkness when he was thwarted or felt he couldn't have his own way. He'd take to wearing tinted sunglasses in the office and mirrored sunglasses on the streets. He'd draw up draperies and turn off lights, conducting meetings in blackout mode. People can be made to feel uncomfortable when forced to converse with a disembodied voice.

When moods like this came over Ren, he'd slip into other people's offices, turn off the lights, and sit in silence in what he called a 'state of incognito'. It was in this state that Shikamaru found him in.

"Don't turn on the lights, Shikamaru," he muttered in the dark. "No one knows I'm here – I'm incognito."

"Okay," Shikamaru said shutting the door. The dramatics of a conceited boss had no effects on him. "What's going on, Ren?"

"You tell me," he replied petulantly, holding something large and rectangular up. "This proposal, I believe, is your work?"

Shikamaru felt a twinge in his stomach. Ren could be unpleasant if he felt an employee had overstepped his bounds – especially if it meant the employee might get a share in the limelight Ren himself liked to bask in.

"The proposal _is _mine," Shikamaru admitted, trying to imagine how Ren had got his hands on it. He'd only sent out three copies: one to the Archives, one to the Hokage, and the third to the person in question, Shimura Danzou. They'd all been stamped confidential.

"Then you can imagine my surprise when I learned that you put together a proposal without consulting me. I might have helped you know – it's a manager's duty after all."

Translated this meant Shikamaru worked for _him_ not someone else.

"You do realize you're your own worst enemy, don't you? What does this proposal say about you? You want to interview a highly-respected member of the Village over a malfunctioning filter?"

Shikamaru took a deep breath. "The filter did not malfunction. There was dirt in the pipe before the filter."

Ren tried to look like he got it. Shikamaru wasn't fooled.

"If the filter had malfunctioned, the pipes would have burst and water would have come spurting out at high pressure before the filter so there's no way any dirt could've gotten in."

This was covered in his proposal.

Ren smiled condescendingly. "What never crossed your mind is that the dirt might have been the reason for the malfunction."

Yes he had. It was all in his proposal. It was impossible there be dirt in that pipe. The water passed through a chemical that removed all dirt ten yards before the filter. The filter was absolutely useless.

Ren had not read his proposal.

Someone else had.

Shikamaru stayed quiet. "So you can understand why I rejected it immediately." said Ren opening the last page where Shikamaru could barely make out a signature. "I've bailed you out this time Shikamaru. I stopped the proposal before it could reach the Hokage and made assurances that you won't lose your head like this again." He sighed. "Because you're new to doing your own work instead of relying on your connections, I willing to forget about this whole fiasco." Shikamaru heard him shredding the proposal – slowly – in the gloom. "Just withdraw the other copy from the archives and that'll be that."

He walked past Shikamaru to the door. "You're a brilliant kid Shikamaru and one day you might make a halfway decent jounin but unless you think things through, I can't give you the backing you need." He left with a flurry of faux tragedy.

Only when he was gone did Shikamaru allow himself a small smile. What Ren had not noticed was that not only had he revealed who was pulling his strings, he had also destroyed the only piece of evidence that stopped Shikamaru from investigating this person. There were records that showed Shikamaru had sent the proposal to Tsunade. If it had gotten stolen, how was he to blame? No one knew this meeting had occurred. Shikamaru was in the clear but it wouldn't last long: either he talked to Danzou in the hour or he never talked to him.

The second the doors of the DIG closed behind him, Shikamaru started to run.

There were some records he needed to see first.

* * *

><p>Danzou sat, calm and collected, on the tatami mat in the center of the room.<p>

He sensed a disturbance outside his office. The ROOT operative on duty had moved.

_Another gaki Tsunade-hime?_

There was a knock on the door.

"Enter," a gruff command.

The ROOT operative opened the door bowing. "Forgive me, Danzou-sama. There is a chuunin outside who says he's authorized to speak with you."

Danzou frowned. Someone should have taken care of this.

"Let him in."

The operative stepped aside presenting, "Nara Shikamaru."

_Nara Shikaku's child?_

This was curious.

The young Nara entered nonchalantly. He didn't look at all fazed by the fact that two operatives were watching him poised ready to attack or that a kage-level shinobi faced him.

"Shimura Danzou-san I presume." It was not a question.

"You presume correctly." He invited Shikamaru to sit with a gesture. With another he dismissed the ROOT operatives.

Danzou would indulge this audacious boy.

The boy sat down at the edge of Danzou's personal bubble. If he leaned forward, he would be too close.

Danzou was mildly impressed that this youngling realized his perimeters so quickly. He was almost insulted that he thought such petty tricks would affect him.

Impudence spoke. "Danzou-san, I'm not here to harass you. I am obligated to investigate any leads that come up in my notes or report. This is not an attack on you personally – it's just procedure."

_Really, boyo?_

"Why would you say that?"

"My supervisor made your concerns clear to me. I assure you I'll do the interview as respectfully as possible."

Danzou looked the boy over carefully.

_A rookie DIP?_

"Do you have your papers with you?"

"I do." He carefully removed a file from his shoulder bag and held it out, waiting for Danzou to take it.

Danzou let him hang for a few seconds before taking the file.

This was disappointing. It appeared Nara Shikaku's son had brains but it hadn't gotten him very far. This was only the second case he'd taken lead on. This explained everything. The petty tricks, the way he'd put himself in Danzou's power by holding out the file instead of placing it on the floor. His contact hadn't thought this gaki worthy enough to divert.

_A rookie DIP. Nothing more._

Danzou deliberately closed the file and put it on the floor.

"Continue." A command. Danzou was in control.

The Nara boy took out a notebook. He opened it to a page, eyebrows knitted.

"Firstly, have you read the proposal I sent?"

"I was unaware you were the author but, yes, I read it."

"Cover to cover?"

"I was only sent the first two pages."

"That's because you're a person of interest. For the record, you have read the proposal you were sent and are aware of the circumstances affecting this interview."

"I have and I am."

"Thank you for that." He made a mark in his notebook. "How do you have the water transported to your home?"

Danzou was very minutely confused. "I don't know much about plumbing."

"Neither do I. Be brief."

Danzou studied the boy for a minute then decided to tell him the truth. He could find it out himself anyway.

"Besides the official village line, my house also gets water from my personal aquifer."

"Now, the broken filter in question was installed four years ago according to the guidelines set by a waterworks program you supported. Is that correct?"

"It is."

"What were your motivations?"

"This was right after the Kyuubi attack. It took longer than necessary for the Village to recuperate due to polluted water supply. I supported what I saw as a precaution for another attack."

"How long did you work on the program exactly?"

"Almost two months."

"Then you'll be saddened to hear it's very lacking."

Danzou paused. He was very, very slightly surprised the boy had guts.

"How so?"

"The filter in question served no purpose at all."

"Isn't that the fault of the plumber for installing a useless device?"

"Speaking of, have you met Daichi Ayumu?"

Danzou took another look at the boy. Switching topics without warning. He had some talents after all.

And, Danzou noticed, he had flawless skin the color of fresh coffee fruit.

Danzou gave a small smile of appreciation.

"This is my first time hearing his name."

"It should be because he wasn't in the proposal."

"Then why did you ask the question?"

The boy with the lovely skin didn't miss a beat. "It was worth a try."

"Will you accuse me of sabotaging the filter?"

"I will accuse you of asking more questions than you answer."

Danzou took a deep breath. This verbal warfare was oddly stimulating. The boy was oddly stimulating.

Danzou nodded slightly, accepting the accusation.

The rookie air was almost gone now. Almost because it was still so obvious he was inexperienced. Just like he was _almost_ worth Danzou's time.

"Shikamaru-kun," Danzou tested the name on his tongue, "this interview is taking much longer than I anticipated. I am a busy man."

"You'll have to be patient with me." The double meaning was hard to miss. "I only have two questions left."

Without waiting for a response from Danzou, he went on.

"Does the Herbalists' Street have any strategic importance to you?"

Danzou sniffed. A clumsy question. The boy was as commonplace as they come. "I don't think it's of strategic importance to the Village at all."

"I know that. Is it of strategic importance to you?"

"No." This brat was wasting his time.

"Thank you, Danzou-san. One last question and then I'll leave you in peace."

Danzou nodded. His mind was already elsewhere. The boy was mediocre – unworthy of Danzou's attention.

So his tone was ironic. "At least tell me if you plan to accuse me of breaking a filter."

"Probably not. I will accuse you of breaking the pipes on the Herbalists' Street four years ago, though. So here's my question: if you wanted new pipes for your property, why didn't you just apply for it instead of sabotaging the existing structure?"

Danzou froze. His mind was lashed back to the present. The inner shock made its way to the surface in the form of a slight twitch of his left ring finger.

All Danzou could think of was the boy. The genius,_ beautiful_ boy. His libido stirred to life.

But no, he couldn't. They were watching.

With a great effort, he was calm and collected.

The boy – his name was Shikamaru - was watching him with the most intelligent eyes Danzou had ever seen on such a young person. His mask had fallen away. This was no rookie.

"You cannot ask me something that wasn't in the proposal."

"How would you know? You only got the first two pages."

"I am a high-ranking member of this village. You cannot ask me a baseless question."

"I know."

Danzou was upset.

_Is there a trail?_

"You have proof I own this property?"

Shikamaru said nonchalantly, "I do."

Danzou gave him a serious look. He wanted - no, needed to know what this brat had on him but he couldn't exactly disappear. Controlling the situation was necessary.

"I procured the property on the Herbalists' Street more than a decade ago. Why would I wait more than six years to sabotage pipes? Do you really think anyone would find that plausible?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "I can't answer either question. Until now, I didn't know you owned a house on the Herbalists' Street."

Dread was dawning on Danzou. "You know now…"

"Yes, you just admitted to it. I was talking about your official house. The one listed as your address – it's in the proposal. And it's on public records that you had the pipes smashed to pieces." He shrugged again. "I just wanted to know why."

Danzou lowered his face as his libido burst into flames.

_This boy!_

"Danzou-san."

_Shikamaru._

Danzou looked up. He smiled.

_Well played._

"Tell me, Shikamaru," he asked conversationally, "do you like tea?"

If Shikamaru was surprised he didn't show it. "Danzou-san, tell me about your house on the Herbalists' Street."

Shikamaru reminded Danzou of a spice. He just couldn't place it.

"Answer my questions and I'll answer yours."

Shikamaru hesitated. "Yes, I like tea."

"Which one?"

"Song Lone Bush."

A strong and dark tea. But not what Shikamaru reminded him of.

He pressed on. "Do you drink it with anything?"

"Danzou-san, are you aware –"

Danzou said warmly, "I am aware that you are not authorized to be here – and not just because no one signed off on your proposal. Your objective has nothing to do with plumbing equipment."

Shikamaru's eyebrow twitched slightly but he was silent.

"Do you drink your tea with anything?" Danzou repeated.

The boy's spirit was deflated. "Pure honey."

"In a porcelain cup?"

"Yes."

"And stirred with a wooden spoon?"

"Stirred with a stick of cinnamon."

Cinnamon! That was it!

Danzou nodded. He leaned back and his voice lost its warm tone. "The property on the Herbalists' Street is not mine. It belongs to ROOT. The only reason I am telling you this is because ROOT doesn't use it anymore – hasn't used it for more than five years. So you see, ROOT had no reason to break that filter." His tone became dismissive. "And that I believe concludes this interview."

Shikamaru left without a word. Danzou could sense Tsunade's ANBU in the vents let out their breaths.

Danzou could bearly keep the smile off his face.

The Raven was studying the tree whose shade he was sitting in.

Bright green leaves had grown covering up the tree's winter bareness. Small purple buds were beginning to form.

The Raven sighed.

It was time for his yearly pilgrimage.


End file.
